Anthropology of the Performing Arts

The anthropology of art has focused on material objects. Less attention has been given to physical performance (music, dance, theatre) despite pioneering work by anthropologists such as Victor Turner in recent decades. Anthropological approaches to performance are different from performance studies and the field of performance. Anthropologists explore the relationship between society and the dramatic and artistic representations which it produces. Anthropological approaches to performance reflect a range of anthropological concerns: social structure, function, meaning, identity and experience. The study of performing arts also has much in common with the ethnography of ritual, a richly documented field, but not always one in which the elements of performance are given their due recognition. As such, anthropological studies of performance are useful for teaching students about socio-cultural diversity as well as the role of different theoretical perspectives in the discipline. The anthropology of performance is a relatively new field of enquiry, and therefore no simple introductions or general readers are as yet available. However, many researchers have produced papers and chapters in edited volumes.

Text written by: Professor Felicia Hughes-Freeland (reproduced with author’s permission)

Postgraduate programmes in the UK

Queen’s University Belfast

Roehampton University

Recommended Resources

General

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200152685/default.html - an article and video excerpts on Anthropologist Katherine Dunham and Dance Anthropology.

http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/spotlight/dance.html - A list of influential dancers with website links and biographies from the Smithsonian.

http://www.indiana.edu/~wanthro/theory_pages/performance.htm - an overview of the Anthropology of Performance by Susan Lambeth.

http://www.odinteatret.dk/ista/anthropology.htm - A description of theatre anthropology by Eugenio Barba.

Professional Organisations, Groups & Associations

Arts Council England – is the national development agency for the Arts in England.

International Dance Council - the official umbrella organisation of UNESCO dedicated to all forms of dance in all countries of the world.

Theatrical Management Association- a UK wide organisation dedicated to providing professional support for the performing arts.



Books

Anthropology of the Performing Arts
Royce Peterson, Anya (Alta Mira Press, 2004)

Society and the Dance
Spencer, Paul (ed.) (Cambridge University Press, 1985)









Articles/Papers & Online Journals

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20050527-9999-1c27blurred.html - an interesting article about dance, identity and national borders.

http://www.najwaadra.net/dance.html - selected articles and papers on the Anthropology of Dance by Dr. Najwa Atra.

http://www.univie.ac.at/theaterethnologie/Interculturalism%20And%20Aesthetics.pdf – a research paper on interculturalism and aesthetics.

Films

The Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) has one of the largest ethnographic film libraries in Europe. Films are available for hire, sale or loan, for educational and academic purposes. Click here for a list of films the RAI distributes on Anthropology of Art.

Disclaimer: The above information is provided for information and guidance only. It should not be interpreted as endorsement or otherwise by the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) for any external institution listed.  Furthermore, the RAI accepts no responsibility for material created by external parties or the content of external websites.